Administration Makes Case Against Iraq
Sept. 12 -- For weeks, the Bush administration has promised to make the case for waging war against Iraq and removing its president, Saddam Hussein, from power. The campaign reached a new peak today with President Bush's appearance before the United Nations.
Ahead of the president's speech, the White House released this document. It was assembled by the National Security Council, and served as the basis and background for the president's speech. The text of the document follows:
A Decade of Deception and Defiance serves as a background paper for PresidentGeorge Bush's Sept. 12 speech to the United Nations General Assembly.This document provides specific examples of how Iraqi President Saddam Husseinhas systematically and continually violated 16 United Nations Security Councilresolutions over the past decade. This document is not designed to catalogall of the violations of U.N. resolutions or other abuses of Saddam Hussein'sregime over the years.
For more than a decade, Saddam Hussein has deceived and defied the will andresolutions of the United Nations Security Council by, among other things:continuing to seek and develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, andprohibited long-range missiles; brutalizing the Iraqi people, includingcommitting gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity; supportinginternational terrorism; refusing to release or account for prisoners of war andother missing individuals from the Gulf War era; refusing to return stolenKuwaiti property; and working to circumvent the United Nation's economic sanctions.
The administration will periodically provide information on these and otheraspects of the threat posed to the international community by Saddam Hussein.
Table of Contents
Saddam Hussein's Defiance of United Nations Resolutions
Saddam Hussein's Development of Weapons of Mass Destruction
Saddam Hussein's Repression of the Iraqi People
Saddam Hussein's Support for International Terrorism
Saddam Hussein's Refusal to Account for Gulf War Prisoners
Saddam Hussein's Refusal to Return Stolen Property
Saddam Hussein's Efforts to Circumvent Economic Sanctions
Saddam Hussein's Defiance of United Nations Resolutions
Saddam Hussein has repeatedly violated 16 United Nations Security CouncilResolutions (UNSCRs) designed to ensure that Iraq does not pose a threat tointernational peace and security. In addition to these repeated violations, hehas tried, over the past decade, to circumvent U.N. economic sanctions againstIraq, which are reflected in a number of other resolutions. As noted in theresolutions, Saddam Hussein was required to fulfill many obligations beyond thewithdrawal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Specifically, Saddam Hussein wasrequired to, among other things: allow international weapons inspectors tooversee the destruction of his weapons of mass destruction; not develop newweapons of mass destruction; destroy all of his ballistic missiles with a rangegreater than 150 kilometers; stop support for terrorism and prevent terroristorganizations from operating within Iraq; help account for missing Kuwaitis andother individuals; return stolen Kuwaiti property and bear financial liabilityfor damage from the Gulf War; and he was required to end his repression of theIraqi people. Saddam Hussein has repeatedly violated each of the followingresolutions:
UNSCR 678 — November 29, 1990
Iraq must comply fully with UNSCR 660 (regarding Iraq's illegal invasion ofKuwait) "and all subsequent relevant resolutions."
Authorizes U.N. Member States "to use all necessary means to uphold andimplement resolution 660 and all subsequent relevant resolutions and to restoreinternational peace and security in the area."
UNSCR 686 — March 2, 1991
Iraq must release prisoners detained during the Gulf War.
Iraq must return Kuwaiti property seized during the Gulf War.
Iraq must accept liability under international law for damages from itsillegal invasion of Kuwait.
UNSCR 687 — April 3, 1991
Iraq must "unconditionally accept" the destruction, removal or renderingharmless "under international supervision" of all "chemical and biologicalweapons and all stocks of agents and all related subsystems and components andall research, development, support and manufacturing facilities."
Iraq must "unconditionally agree not to acquire or develop nuclear weaponsor nuclear-weapons-usable material" or any research, development ormanufacturing facilities.
Iraq must "unconditionally accept" the destruction, removal or renderingharmless "under international supervision" of all "ballistic missiles with arange greater than 150 KM and related major parts and repair and productionfacilities."
Iraq must not "use, develop, construct or acquire" any weapons of massdestruction.
Iraq must reaffirm its obligations under the Nuclear Non-ProliferationTreaty.
Creates the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) to verify theelimination of Iraq's chemical and biological weapons programs and mandated thatthe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verify elimination of Iraq'snuclear weapons program.
Iraq must declare fully its weapons of mass destruction programs.
Iraq must not commit or support terrorism, or allow terrorist organizationsto operate in Iraq.
Iraq must cooperate in accounting for the missing and dead Kuwaitis andothers.
Iraq must return Kuwaiti property seized during the Gulf War.
UNSCR 688 — April 5, 1991
"Condemns" repression of Iraqi civilian population, "the consequences ofwhich threaten international peace and security."
Iraq must immediately end repression of its civilian population.
Iraq must allow immediate access to international humanitarianorganizations to those in need of assistance.
UNSCR 707 — August 15, 1991
"Condemns" Iraq's "serious violation" of UNSCR 687.
"Further condemns" Iraq's noncompliance with IAEA and its obligations underthe Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iraq must halt nuclear activities of all kinds until the Security Councildeems Iraq in full compliance.
Iraq must make a full, final and complete disclosure of all aspects of itsweapons of mass destruction and missile programs.
Iraq must allow U.N. and IAEA inspectors immediate, unconditional andunrestricted access.
Iraq must cease attempts to conceal or move weapons of mass destruction,and related materials and facilities.
Iraq must allow U.N. and IAEA inspectors to conduct inspection flightsthroughout Iraq.
Iraq must provide transportation, medical and logistical support for U.N. andIAEA inspectors.
UNSCR 715 — October 11, 1991
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. and IAEA inspectors.
UNSCR 949 — October 15, 1994
"Condemns" Iraq's recent military deployments toward Kuwait.
Iraq must not utilize its military or other forces in a hostile manner tothreaten its neighbors or U.N. operations in Iraq.
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors.
Iraq must not enhance its military capability in southern Iraq.
UNSCR 1051 — March 27, 1996
Iraq must report shipments of dual-use items related to weapons of massdestruction to the U.N. and IAEA.
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. and IAEA inspectors and allow immediate,unconditional and unrestricted access.
UNSCR 1060 — June 12, 1996
"Deplores" Iraq's refusal to allow access to U.N. inspectors and Iraq's"clear violations" of previous U.N. resolutions.
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors and allow immediate,unconditional and unrestricted access.
UNSCR 1115 — June 21, 1997
"Condemns repeated refusal of Iraqi authorities to allow access" to U.N.inspectors, which constitutes a "clear and flagrant violation" of UNSCR 687,707, 715, and 1060.
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors and allow immediate,unconditional and unrestricted access.
Iraq must give immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to Iraqiofficials whom U.N. inspectors want to interview.
UNSCR 1134 — October 23, 1997
"Condemns repeated refusal of Iraqi authorities to allow access" to U.N.inspectors, which constitutes a "flagrant violation" of UNSCR 687, 707, 715, and1060.
Iraq must cooperate fully with U.N. weapons inspectors and allow immediate,unconditional and unrestricted access.
Iraq must give immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to Iraqiofficials whom U.N. inspectors want to interview.
UNSCR 1137 — November 12, 1997
"Condemns the continued violations by Iraq" of previous NUN resolutions,including its "implicit threat to the safety of" aircraft operated by U.N.inspectors and its tampering with NUN inspector monitoring equipment.
Reaffirms Iraq's responsibility to ensure the safety of NUN inspectors.
Iraq must cooperate fully with NUN weapons inspectors and allow immediate,unconditional and unrestricted access.
UNSCR 1154 — March 2, 1998
Iraq must cooperate fully with NUN and IAEA weapons inspectors and allowimmediate, unconditional and unrestricted access, and notes that any violationwould have the "severest consequences for Iraq."
UNSCR 1194 — September 9, 1998
"Condemns the decision by Iraq of 5 August 1998 to suspend cooperationwith" NUN and IAEA inspectors, which constitutes "a totally unacceptablecontravention" of its obligations under UNSCR 687, 707, 715, 1060, 1115, and1154.
Iraq must cooperate fully with NUN and IAEA weapons inspectors, and allowimmediate, unconditional and unrestricted access.
UNSCR 1205 — November 5, 1998
"Condemns the decision by Iraq of 31 October 1998 to cease cooperation"with NUN inspectors as "a flagrant violation" of UNSCR 687 and other resolutions.
Iraq must provide "immediate, complete and unconditional cooperation" withNUN and IAEA inspectors.
UNSCR 1284 — December 17, 1999
Created the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and InspectionsCommission (UNMOVIC) to replace previous weapon inspection team (UNSCOM).
Iraq must allow UNMOVIC "immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access"to Iraqi officials and facilities.
Iraq must fulfill its commitment to return Gulf War prisoners.
Calls on Iraq to distribute humanitarian goods and medical supplies to itspeople and address the needs of vulnerable Iraqis without discrimination.
Additional U.N. Security Council Statements
In addition to the legally binding UNSCRs, the NUN Security Council has alsoissued at least 30 statements from the President of the NUN Security Councilregarding Saddam Hussein's continued violations of UNSCRs. The list ofstatements includes:
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, June 28, 1991
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, February 5, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, February 19, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, February 28, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, March 6, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, March 11, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, March 12, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, April 10, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, June 17, 1992
U.N. Security Council Presidential Statement, July 6, 1992
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